Type or matrix cabinet



y 1937- r SAMU-EL lSH-SHALOM ET AL 2,079,968

TYPE R MATRIX CAB'INET Filed Dec. 19, 1955 ffffffX BY Ga om 0m,

Patented May 11, 1937 UNITE-D STAT-ES TYPE OR MATRIX CABINET Samu-El'Ish-Shalom and Otto I. Bloom, New York, N. Y.

Application December 19, 1935, Serial No. 55,267

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement on type or matrix cabinets asiused in the printing industry.

The object of this invention is toproduce a type or matrix cabinet which will speed upcomposition, add to the convenience of thewoperator, save time and labor and do away with the con stant stooping and bending of the compositor as he sets the type or matrices which arekept in the lowermost drawers or cases of the customary style of type or matrix cabinet.

The type or matrix cabinet used generally in the industry today consists of a cabinet con' taining a series of drawers or cases, of proper depth, superimposed upon each other and so mounted that they may be pulled forward and returned to their place within the containing walls of the cabinet frame. These cases may be arranged in a single tier or a series of tiers. The height of such a cabinet generally is from 4 to 5 feet above the floor, and the number of individual cases which occupy this height ranges from 10 to 20 depending upon their depth. Eachcase is partitioned internally into the required number of compartments in which are kept the differcut varieties and sizes of type and matrices. Essentially therefore the present style of typeor matrix cabinet consists of a vertical stack of drawers or cases, superimposed one on the other. In practice the operator pulls'out the case or drawer which holds the type or matrices he is required to set up; arranges the composition into the composing or hand-stick, and proceeds to the make-up in the case of type-composition, or to the casting-machine in the case'of matrices. 3 This procedure is carried out in comparative ease and comfort if the text requires the use of type or matrices stored in cases of the upper level of the stack since in this instance the compositor 40 works while standing uprightand the casesare open at a convenient body-level, or" body-height. Should the text however require the use of matrices or type stored in the lower cases of the cabinet a definite physical hardship is involved. This is due to the fact that the compositor is compelled to stoop while at work. As a result, he suffers from definite strain of the muscles and joints of the back because of this unnatural posture. Also, the light under which he works becomes indistinct as his eyes are directed downward, and composition is slowed up with consequent loss of time and accuracy.

This factor of stooping is a particularly vicious one in the case of type-composition for immediate use, since such composing is apt to take.

a long time and require the maintenance of the abnormal posture over a long period. To escape the discomfort operators will often remove the entire lower case housing the type or matrices they are working with and place it upon a table and set from this more comfortable level. Or else they will exchange two cases, transferring the lower into the recess of a higher case and place the higher case into the lower level of the cabinet. Each ofthese efforts to escape from the physical discomforts of constant bending and stooping is destructive of efficiency. In the first instance'there is involved the physical labor of raising a compartment loaded with metal onto a table, and in the second instance, the exchange of cases often leads to confusion. In both instances complications arise when type must be set from more than one case in the same text.

In the case of hand-composition of matrices for casting the operator has no escape whatever from discomfort of stooping and bending when selecting matrices from lower-level cases. For in this instance the drawers holding matrices cannot be removed from the cabinet because of their weight, in some instances as muchas sev- H eral hundred pounds. Furthermore in the process of matrix-composing each line is cast as set up and the matrices then re-distributed. This, in the case of matrices kept in lower cases means that'the operator must stoop twice to set each line; the first time when he assembles the matrices for casting and the second time when he returns from the casting-machine to re-distribute them. It is obvioustherefore that whereas type or matrices may be composed with case r and comfort from the upper cases of the cabinet stack, composition from the lowermost cases entails physical hardships on the compositor and loss of time and money on part of the industry.

The type and matrix cabinet which we have de- 40 signed consists ofaseries of cases, arranged on a horizontal plane, placed parallel to each "other, inclined or'slantedat an angle of less than degress from-thevertical, elevated to a convenient height from the floor-and so mounted that they can be pulled forward and returned with the greatest ease from either side of the center.

As a result of this horizontal stacking of the cases, as distinguished from the vertical stacking of the present-day arrangement, each case of our cabinet is always at the optimum workinglevel for the operator or for the casting-machine, irrespective of which cabinet cases are in use. Consequently the disadvantages of the cabinets in use today are done away with. N0 stooping or bending on part of the operator is required. The level of the cases is always the same, irrespective of which or how many drawers are in use. The source of light remains constant, and the bodily discomforts which were present before are done away with. This invention not alone eliminates many evils inherent in the old style cabinet, but what is of even greater importance, it brings to the industry a new type or matrix cabinet which increases speed, produces a saving of money and adds to the comfort of compositors. And all this is achieved in a manner at once simple, direct, inexpensive and most eflicient.

In the accompanying drawing the invention is shown merely in exemplified or preferred form, but obviously many changes and variations may be made therein and its mode of adaptation, without departing from its spirit. It should therefore be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except in so far as limitations are specified in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing one of the cases pulled forward on the right side of its cabinet.

Fig. 2 is a modified front-view of a modified cabinet arranged according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing one of the cases pulled forward on the left side of the cabinet.

It is understood that although we claim no specific style of case-mounting we intend that the cases, l2, of the cabinet, l3, shall be so mounted that they slide or shift with a minimum of effort. Each of the cases, 52, may also be provided with a handle, l5, by means of which it may be easily moved in and out, and it may also be provided with a label-holder, it, upon which may be inscribed the names of the various styles of types or sizes of matrices which are contained in the case. The cases may be numbered so that they can be readily identified by means of a suitable card or other index. A look, locking each case individually, or all cases at once, may also be provided.

Furthermore, even though only one series of horizontally-stacked and parallelly-inclined cases is shown, our invention contemplates the provision of such a cabinet or plurality of cabinets with several series I8 and IQ of such cases; either superimposed upon each other or positioned at various angles, as shown in Fig. 2. It

should also be noted that adequate space allowance as shown at M, is provided for space-trays,

which fit on the top of the matrix or type cabinet and contain a supply of spaces and quad blocks as used in the industry. This space may also be used as shown at I'i,for a stack of cases for the different composing sticks and other necessities to facilitate speedy handling of composition. Moreover even though we do not show any support or base for such a cabinet containing a series of cases as described, at an optimum height from the floor, it is understood that such a series of cases comprising a type or matrix cabinet of the nature we have described is not invalidated as an improvement because of such mounting or platform, movable or immovable. And furthermore whereas in this specification we show our improvement in connection with the printing industry it may be used in any commercial manner, or in any commercial or industrial establishment.

What we claim is:-

1. A type cabinet arrangement consisting of a cabinet, a number of cases standing on edge therein and arrange-d in a horizontal plane, each of said cases being inclined at an angle of more than zero and less than ninety degrees from ver tical.

2. A type cabinet arrangement consisting of a cabinet, a number of cases mounted therein and standing on edge, each of said cases being provided with compartments for receiving a font of matrices, all of said cases being arranged on a horizontal plane and facing in the same direction, said cases being also inclined at an angle of more than zero and less than ninety degrees from vertical.

3. A structure of the character described comprising, a supporting cabinet, a plurality of cases removably mounted therein and standing on edge, each of said cases being partitioned to receive a font of type, all of the cases being arranged on the same horizontal plane and arranged in several groups, the cases in each group inclining toward the center of the cabinet.

4. A structure of the character described comprising, a cabinet, a plurality of partitioned type cases movably mounted therein and standing on edge, and capable of being manually drawn out of the cabinet, all of said cases being arranged on a horizontal plane and disposed at an angle to the vertical, the open sides of all of the cases facing in the same direction.

5. A structure of the character described comprising, a cabinet, a number of type cases mounted therein in groups, all of said cases standing on edge, each of the cases being partitioned for receiving a font of type, all of the cases being arranged on a horizontal plane, the cases in one r group all facing in one direction, and those in the other group facing in the opposite direction.

6. A structure of the character described comprising, a cabinet, a number of type-holding cases mounted therein and standing on edge, said cases being arranged on a horizontal plane and being inclined at an angle to the vertical, the cabinet being provided with guide grooves to receive and angularly hold the cases, said grooves extending from one side of the cabinet to the other whereby the cases may be drawn out of either side of the cabinet.

SAMU-EL ISH-SHALOM. OTTO I. BLOOM. 

